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- Ελληνικά
Today, on June 21, 2024, the ceremony of the Cyprus Presidency of the European Schools (ES) took place at the Hilton Hotel in Nicosia, in the presence of the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Dr Athina Michaelidou. Cyprus takes over the Presidency of the ES for the first time in the school year 2024-2025 (1 August 2024 - 31 July 2025), thus participating in the so-called "Trio Presidency" from August 2023 to July 2026, with Italy (2023-2024) preceding the Cyprus Presidency and Latvia following (2025-2026). The ceremony was attended by the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the European Schools, as provided for in the Protocol, as well as the national delegations of the presiding country and the countries participating in the "trio presidency", Italy and Latvia.
The ceremony was opened by the Minister of Education, Sport and Youth, Dr Athena Michaelidou, who congratulated the Italian delegation on the success of the Italian Presidency, with particular reference to the first ES Teachers' Forum, a pioneering initiative undertaken by the Italian Presidency, which will be continued during the Cyprus Presidency, with the holding of the second forum in April 2025, in the framework of the High Council of the ES to be hosted in Cyprus. The Minister underlined the uniqueness of the ES as an integral part of the wider European project, while she also stressed the multilingual and multicultural education with a European dimension that they offer, leading to the European Baccalaureate.
During the ceremony, the logo of the Cyprus Presidency of the ES was also unveiled. As explained by the Head of the Cyprus Delegation, Dr Ioannis Savvidis, the logo was inspired by the figurine of Pomos, which is an indication of Cyprus' rich cultural heritage. The main colour of the logo is bronze, referring to the Chalcolithic era, to which the figurine belongs, combined with the blue of the Mediterranean Sea. The expression "Draxasthe Paideias", a symbol of the Greek Enlightenment, which accompanies the logo, is inextricably linked to the history of education in our country, since it adorned the entrance of the Pedagogical Academy, which for many years prepared Cyprus' primary school teachers. Its meaning embodies basic principles and values that have been the cornerstone of education throughout time, the conquest of which requires active and conscious effort, as given through the meaning of the word 'Drakshasthe'. As he said, these principles are at the core of the ES system: on the one hand, the emphasis on the holistic development of the individual, the cultivation of critical thinking, creativity and values, and on the other hand, the active participation of pupils in the learning process, with the ultimate aim of strengthening the common European identity through education, the development of multilingualism and the promotion of values such as respect for diversity, intercultural understanding and active European citizenship.
During the ceremony, the priorities of the outgoing Italian Presidency, as well as the experiences and lessons learned, were reviewed and the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency were presented. Cyprus' pedagogical priorities for the Presidency of the EC focus on the concept of the collective well-being of students and teachers in a sustainable environment and the importance of education as a means to achieve sustainable development more broadly. In addition to the pedagogical priorities, the Cyprus Presidency also set the goal of further strengthening the governance of the ES system to better achieve its objectives.
IP
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